Revelation 12:16 NASB

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Revelation 12:16

And the earth helped the woman - The earth seemed to sympathize with the woman in her persecutions, and to interpose to save her. The meaning is, that a state of things would exist in regard to the church thus driven into obscurity, which would be well represented by what is here said to occur. It was cut off from human aid. It was still in danger; still persecuted. In this state it was nourished from some unseen source. It was enabled to avoid the direct attacks of the enemy, and when he... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Revelation 12:13-17

Revelation 12:13-17. And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth: &c. When the dragon was thus deposed from the imperial throne, and cast unto the earth, (Revelation 12:13,) he still continued to persecute the church with equal malice, though not with equal power. He made several attempts to restore the pagan idolatry in the reign of Constantine, and afterward in the reign of Julian; he traduced and abused the Christian religion by such writers as Hierocles, Libanius, and... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Revelation 12:1-17

12:1-14:20 PICTURES OF CONFLICT AND TRIUMPHThe woman, the child and the dragon (12:1-17)In this vision the woman who gives birth to a son seems to symbolize Israel who produced the Messiah, Jesus. But it is the true Israel, the true people of God, who are pictured here. The faithful of old Israel were those who began the Christian church, and in the church there is no distinction on the basis of nationality. All Christians are now God’s people (12:1-2).Then appears a dragon (identified in verse... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Revelation 12:16

opened, &c. See Numbers 16:30 . swallowed up. Greek. katapino. Occurs seven times in N.T. See 1 Corinthians 15:54 . Compare Isaiah 59:19 . read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Revelation 12:16

And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth and swallowed up the river which the dragon cast out of his mouth.Earth helped the woman ... swallowed up the river ... There are two different interpretations of this:(1) Beasley-Murray illustrated this with Judges 5:20, where it is said that, "The stars in their courses fought against Sisera," also citing the case of the waters of the Red Sea withdrawing and enabling Israel to escape from Pharaoh.[86] Barclay also took a very... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Revelation 12:13-17

Revelation 12:13-17. And when the dragon saw, &c.— When the dragon was thus deposed from the imperial throne, and cast unto the earth, he still continued to persecute the church with equal malice, though not with equal power. He made several attempts to restore the pagan idolatry in the reign of Constantine, and afterwards in the reign of Julian; he traduced and abused the Christian religion, by such writers as Hierocles, Libanius, and others of the same stamp and character; he rent and... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Revelation 12:13-17

The dragon’s vengeance on the woman 12:13-17The revelation of Satan’s activity, which the song of the martyrs (Revelation 12:10-12) interrupted, now resumes. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Revelation 12:16

Evidently the earth (the physical ground, Gr. ge) will assist the Israelites in escaping from the serpent. In the past the ground (really the water) swallowed the Egyptians (Exodus 15:12), and later the ground swallowed Korah, Dathan, and Abiram (Numbers 16:28-33; Numbers 26:10; Deuteronomy 11:6; Psalms 106:17). Perhaps God will do similar miracles to preserve the fleeing Jews in the future.Two-thirds of these Israelites will die and one-third will escape (Zechariah 13:8-9). Some of those who... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Revelation 12:1-17

The Woman and the Man-Child. The DragonThe persecution which the Church had already suffered, and which was about to burst forth again, is the great fact which underlies the whole ’Revelation.’ The sufferings of the Church and its members have been referred to again and again, particularly in Revelation 11:1-13. In the ’seals’ and the ’trumpets’ the Church has been assured, in a broad and general manner, that God’s judgments will fall upon the world of wickedness, and that the ungodly will bow... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Revelation 12:16

(16) And the earth . . .—Translate, And the earth helped the woman, and the earth opened her mouth, and drank up the river, &c. This is generally understood of some earthly power which is raised up to protect the Church against persecution. Just as Persia was raised up to aid Israel after they had been swept away by the flood of Babylonish conquest, so does help come to the persecuted Church through the cultured Roman world, or through some other worldly power, “barbarian and godless in its... read more